Wichita Falls is located around 120 miles northwest of Dallas within north-central Texas. The Oklahoma borders lies approximately 15 miles north. The city is serviced by lots of highways, like for instance Routes 277, 281, 287 and 82, the Texas State Highways 240 and 79 and the Interstate I-44. It is considered the main transportation centre of North Texas and is the county seat of Wichita County.
In the mid-1800's, the city was originally established. The arrival of the first trail in the year 1882, helped to bring in an influx of settlers to the area. Soon after, a general store and a lumberyard were constructed. The arrival of more railroads stimulated the economy and Wichita Falls quickly became a transportation and supply center for northwest Texas and southern Oklahoma. It was incorporated during 1889. Oil became more and more prominent and soon became the main economic focus of the city. The North Texas Fields were producing 46 percent of the states oil supply by 1913. The Great Depression slowed the building boom created by the economic prosperity. An Army Air Corps training facility, The Sheppard Field, was founded during 1941. It later became the Sheppard Air Force Base.
On April 10, the year 1979 the city of Wichita Falls was almost destroyed by one of the biggest tornadoes in history. It totaled a large percentage of business establishments and houses. Thankfully the city of Wichita Falls was able to make a fast recovery. In just a few short years the majority of the damage was repaired.
All around the city of Wichita Falls are a large assortment of attractions and locations of interest, such as: The Kell House Museum, The Wichita Falls Museum and Arts Centre and The Wichita Falls Railroad Museum. These are just a few of the area's famous museums. There are also some performing arts facilities, including the Wichita Falls Symphony, the Backdoor Theatre and the Wichita Falls Symphony.
The Wichita Falls Wildcats, is one of the cities professional sports teams. The play ice hockey in the North American Hockey League. One more sports team from Wichita are the Wichita Falls Drillers, who have recently won a Minor League Football national championship.
The largest employer within the city is the Sheppard Air Force Base. Services for the base are likewise provided by Boeing and Lear Sigler Services, Inc. Another one of the major companies within the city of Wichita Falls is the Allred Unit, that is a medium and maximum security prison. The economy is primarily made up of healthcare, educational services, and agriculture, along with defense and aerospace businesses.
In the city of Wichita Falls, there are several major manufacturers, like for instance: Alcoa Howmet, Magic Aire, PPG, Inc., WashEX, and St, Gobain Vertrotex. The leading areas of employment in Wichita Falls are educational services, healthcare, construction, government, accommodation and food services. Roughly 28% of the workforce is involved with professional, management, and related occupations, 20 percent in service occupations, and 24 percent in sales and office occupations.